Germane purification

Abstract

A process and system for the purification of germane containing phosphine to provide a purified germane product. One aspect of the present invention is a process for making a purified germane product containing less than 50 ppb of phosphine which comprises providing a phosphine contaminated germane gas hydrogen gas mixture; passing the germane gas hydrogen gas mixture through an adsorbent which selectively adsorbs phosphine and withdrawing therefrom a purified germane gas hydrogen mixture; and separating the purified germane gas from the hydrogen germane gas mixture.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for making a purified germane gas comprising:
 providing a germane gas containing phosphine; 
 drying a molecular sieve; 
 conditioning the dried molecular sieve by passing a germane gas stream through the molecular sieve until the molecular sieve is saturated with germane; 
 passing the germane gas containing phosphine through the conditioned molecular sieve which selectively adsorbs the phosphine contained therein; and 
 withdrawing therefrom a purified germane gas; 
 wherein the purified germane gas contains less than 50 ppb phosphine. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1  wherein the germane gas containing phosphine comprises up to about 40 percent germane in hydrogen. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1  wherein the germane gas containing phosphine comprises about 20 to about 40 percent germane in hydrogen. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 2  further comprising separating the purified germane gas from hydrogen. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve is a zeolite. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve selected from the group consisting of 4A, 5A, 10X, 13X and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 6  wherein the molecular sieve is 5A. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve has an effective pore diameter of about 4 Angstroms or greater. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve has an effective pore diameter of about 4 Angstroms. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve is dried under a purge of dry gas for about 4 to 12 hours. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve is dried at 200.degrees C. to 300.degrees C. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 1  wherein the molecular sieve is conditioned by passing a germane gas stream through the molecular sieve until germane is no longer appreciably retained on the molecular sieve.